Saarland State, where German and French cultures intersect
Saarland is known for its different lifestyle from other states in Germany. This is not surprising because the state’s history was influenced by France.
Overview of the German state of Saarland
Geographical location of the state of Saarland
Capital: Saarbrucken
Area: 2,568.65 km²
Population: ~1.1 million people
Saarland is a state in the south-west of the Federal Republic of Germany, bordered to the north and east by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as to the south by France (by the Grand Est region) and to the west by Luxembourg (by the Grevenmacher region).
Together with Lothringen, Luxemburg, Rhineland-Palatinate and the Walloon region of Belgium, Saarland forms the Saar-Lor-Lux metropolitan area.
Saarland State, where two cultures intersect, Germany? France
Economic, cultural and social characteristics
Important industries in the German state of Saarland, Saarland, are the automotive industry (Ford Motor Company in Saarlouis), auto parts supply (Robert Bosch GmbH and Michelin in Homburg), steelmaking (Saarstahl AG and Dillinger Hütte). The porcelain industry (Villeroy & Boch) also plays an important role here.
The state of Saarland in Germany is known for its different lifestyle from the rest of the states of the Federal Republic of Germany, which is not surprising because the history of the state’s formation and development was influenced by France for a very long time.
Saarland – where German and French cultures intersect
Germany’s smallest state often goes unnoticed when visitors map out their journeys through the country. But the Saarland is Germany’s western tri-border region, and so it’s no surprise that it’s a melting pot of cultures.
Saarland is the smallest state in Germany by area and the second smallest in population after Bremen.
Germany’s smallest state often goes unnoticed when people map out their journeys through the country. Given its location in Germany’s western tri-border region, it’s no surprise that the German state of Saarland is a melting pot of cultures. The locals, like their French neighbours, love good food and socialising, top the charts for champagne consumption per capita in Germany and French is a compulsory subject in school.
Saarland locals are not only serious about wine, they are also passionate about food. The small state boasts seven Michelin-starred restaurants that produce delicious dishes that are not to be missed. The region’s specialties are hearty, rich German cuisine with a French flair.
Saarland State, where two cultures intersect, Germany? France
The German state of Saarland is not an old state. It became part of the German Empire on March 1, 1935, and after the end of World War II, fell into the French zone of occupation. While it gained autonomy in 1947, the state remained under French influence, with the French franc remaining its official currency.
Although it is the smallest state in terms of area, Saarland has a lot to offer. The 400 km Saarland Cycle Trail is divided into 20 stages and is a great hike. Along the way, you will be greeted by stunning landscapes, from dense forests to vast meadows to river valleys. The picturesque villages and towns along the way offer the chance to sample local specialties and a glass of Riesling, and there are also some historical sites and excavations that will tell you more about the history of the region.
Just outside the secluded village of Mettlach, the Saar River winds its way through dense forest. The hiking trail to the top of the Baumwipfelpfad Saarschleife soars 42 metres into the sky and ends at a large observation deck offering breathtaking views of the landscape below.
Life is a little strange in the small village of Leidingen in the state of Saarland. The German-French border cuts right through it. About 220 of the village’s residents are German, while a few dozen are French. Although the border is invisible and you can walk back and forth between the two countries as you please, the two countries have different rules. The village has two post offices, two official languages, two churches, and if residents want to call their neighbors across the street, they have to dial the other country’s area code and pay international rates.
Pioneering role on the path to European integration
Among the German states, Saarland played a pioneering role on the road to a united Europe. Together with its partners, Lorraine (France) and Luxembourg, it is today a model European region in which cultural exchange and mutual cooperation have become an important part of everyday life.
Saarland’s main economic sectors include mining, ceramics, steel and the automotive industry, as well as future-oriented sectors such as IT and biotechnology. Four state universities, non-university research institutes and a good technological infrastructure are, even today, preparing for the markets of the future.
Saarland with diverse agriculture and green environment
The German state of Saarland has a diverse agricultural sector and boasts a green and comfortable environment. There is a strong commitment to families and children, as well as environmental protection, which is reflected in Saarland having the highest density of kindergartens and solar energy systems.
Ideal destinations in Saarland state when studying abroad in Germany
Saar River the golden hairpin of Germany
This beautiful place was once marked by the brave footsteps of the German army in the famous Battle of Forbach between France and Prussia.
Saarland State, where two cultures intersect, Germany? France
One of the most famous rivers in the world, the Saar is a magical river that is loved by many tourists around the world. It originates in the Vosges Mountains on the border of Alsace and Lorraine in France, then flows north through western Germany to join the Mosel River, near the city of Trier.
In Germany, the Saar River meanders down to the Hunsruck, a low mountain range made of quartzite (a metamorphosed rock made from quartz sandstone). The rock here is so hard that the river cannot create a flow through it.
As a result, the Saar River suddenly turns 180 degrees upstream, forming a beautiful U-shaped bend next to the mountain ranges. This bend is what makes the Saar unique and becomes a highlight for tourists every time they mention it. Through this section, the river continues to flow parallel to the old branch before curving north to join the Mosel River.
Seen from above, the Saar River resembles a beautiful, graceful hairpin. Locals call this bend in the wooded Mettlach region the Saar Loop or Saarschleife (in German). It is the most famous tourist attraction in the Saarland region.
The best place to get a panoramic view of the Saar Loop is from Cloef, 180m above the river. This viewpoint was built for tourists to visit. On the slopes is also the ruined Montclair Castle, dating from the 12th century.
Saarland State, where two cultures intersect, Germany? France
Coming to the Saar River, visitors will hear the story associated with the name Spicheren-Forbach, one of the first major battles between France and Germany, taking place around the two villages of Spicheren and Forbach, near the Saarbrucken border in 1870.
At that time, German Chief of the General Staff Helmuth Graf von Moltke planned to concentrate the 1st and 2nd Armies to support the northern flank on the Saar River where they would wait for the 3rd Army to defeat the French 1st Corps in Alsace and cross the Vosges Mountains.
However, on August 5, 1870, the German commander Steinmetz arbitrarily moved his troops south along the route prescribed for the Second Army, despite orders prohibiting the crossing of the Saar River from Moltke. By this arbitrary action, Steinmetz forced the German army into a frontal offensive campaign against the wishes of the General Staff.
Steinmetz then explained to Moltke that the purpose of the action was to support the 2nd Army by luring the French into a fierce attack on him. Moltke only replied briefly that this would lead to defeat. According to the diary of Major Alfred von Waldersee: The command was beginning to regret appointing Steinmetz.
And so, whether he wanted it or not, the Saar River has always been a bitter obsession in Steinmetz’s military career that is still remembered today.
Ludwigskirche Church
Saarland State, where two cultures intersect, Germany? France
In the 1760s, Friedrich Joachim Stengel was commissioned by William Henry, Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken to build not only this church but also the surrounding square, all as a single harmonious work.
The result is one of the high points of German Baroque art, as well as one of Germany’s outstanding Protestant churches.
Basilica of St. John the Baptist
Stengel was also responsible for another beautiful Baroque church built in the mid-1750s for the city’s growing Catholic congregation.
The church was partly funded by King Louis XV of France and a collection was made in Rome by Pope Benedict XIV.
Französischer Garten diplomatic park
South of Saarbrücken and just a few kilometers from the border crossing at Goldene Bremm, the German-Französischer Garten is a park with a diplomatic past.
As the name suggests, it was a joint effort between the French and German governments as a symbol of friendship after Saarbrücken voted in a referendum to become part of Germany in the 1950s.
Saar History Museum
Saarland State, where two cultures intersect, Germany? France
Above ground there is a long narrow building from 1988 with a barrel roof, and this hides a small world of historic underground chambers and tunnels excavated in the 1990s and 2000s.
In the galleries on the two upper floors you can take a trip through the last 300 years of the Saarland through its art, design and everyday objects.
Völklingen Iron Works
A few kilometers east of Saarbrücken is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Saarland State, where two cultures intersect, Germany? France
The Völklingen Smelter was founded in 1873 and ceased operations in 1986, and is the only 19th-century metallurgical work still standing today.
The facility is now an industrial relic and a science museum.
Saarland is an ideal place to put on your list of options for where to live when studying abroad in Germany.
